What it is, how it works, and the questions to ask before you hire.
Last updated: October 2026
Texas builds on two foundations more than anywhere else in the country — monolithic slabs and pier-and-beam — and they fail in completely different ways. Slabs crack and settle as one rigid plate; pier-and-beam homes sag between supports as wood members and piers shift. If you're comparing notes with a neighbor, make sure you're comparing the same foundation type first. This guide covers how each type moves, how each is repaired, and what to watch for in each.
Look at the exterior: a slab home sits low with concrete visible at the base and no crawl space access; a pier-and-beam home sits higher with vents along the foundation wall and a crawl space access door. Your property survey or original building plans will also state it. In Texas metros like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, both types are common — sometimes on the same street.
The work is more accessible — contractors can get under the house instead of cutting through it — which changes the nature of the job. But pier-and-beam brings its own issues: moisture and wood rot in the crawl space, and sagging that develops gradually between supports. Compare diagnoses, not assumptions.
The leak. Water under a slab erodes soil and swells clay — it's often part of why the foundation moved. Reputable slab contractors run a plumbing (hydrostatic) test before or during foundation work; fixing the foundation while a leak continues underneath is building on a problem.